Faith Salie on when POTUS uses "$#!?hole" language
A word rarely heard in polite company ricocheted around the world this past week, attracting the notice of our Faith Salie:
I'm sorry to use this kind of language on "Sunday Morning," but I'm only quoting our president. This week, he reportedly called Haiti, El Salvador, and places in Africa "sh*thole countries."
On Friday, a few hours before signing a proclamation to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Mr. Trump offered a vague and confusing statement, saying his language was "tough" but "this was not the language used by me."
He did not explicitly deny calling these countries sh*tholes.
The White House did not deny it, either.
- Trump questions why U.S. welcomes people from "sh*thole" countries (CBS News, 01/11/18)
- "Sh*thole countries" respond to Trump's rhetoric (CBS News, 01/12/18)
- Bob Schieffer: Trump's immigration remarks are racist ("CBS This Morning," 01/12/18)
Here's what we're left with, thanks to our President's "tough" talk: journalists on many networks, including this one, right now, uttering the phrase "sh*thole countries."
We heard it from the usually dulcet tones of NPR hosts, who'd probably prefer a euphemism like "fecal crater."
Thanks to our President -- our president! -- that word is scrawled across screens for our children to read. It's like we're living in an episode of "South Park."
What would Walter Cronkite have done?
What is ANY polite, DECENT American to do?
Here's a proposal.
If you're going to use derogatory, profane and arguably racist language to describe another country and its people, how about some ground rules:
- You have to be able to find it on a map and spell it as fast as you can say "sh*thole."
- And as far as holes go, don't worry too much. In today's politics, this comment will be sucked into a bigger one: the news cycle black hole.
We'll be dealing with different crap by next week.
Also by Faith Salie:
- Some frank words about profanity
- How art can help shape our New Year's resolutions
- What will be the aftermath of the sexual harassment firestorm?
- Who's the snowflake? A chilly riposte to political insults
- 2017's contenders for Word of the Year
- Hugh Hefner's complicated legacy
- Faith Salie has her say on "mansplaining"
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